‘Bob Marley wasn’t on trial for shooting the sheriff’

THE LAWYER representing the suspect in the murder of PC Blakelock has compared an incriminating rap poem written by his client to a song by Bob Marley.

Courtenay Griffiths QC rubbished claims that lyrics in Nicholas Jacobs’ poem were related to the death of the police officer during the notorious Broadwater Farm riots by using the reggae legend as an example.

Of how the jury should treat the rap poem, Mr Griffiths said: "Bob Marley wrote I Shot The Sheriff but I have not heard of him being put on trial for murder."

The poem, police claim was written in Jacobs' handwriting, read: “As long as I live I will remember it was 1985, the 6th October...we gone at Broadwater.

"Me have de chopper we have the intention to kill a police officer, PC Blakelock de unlucky f*ker him dis an held de fireman. Who did an out an fire de fireman see we av come and decide to scatter but PC Blakelock never smell the danger.

It went on: “We back out the chopper we start chop him on his hand. We chop him on his shoulder, him head, him chest, him neck, we chop him all over when we done kill him off, lord we feel much better."

PC Blakelock was stabbed 43 times when he was set upon by an armed mob during the riots in Tottenham, north London, in October 1985.

Nicholas Jacobs, 45, denies murdering the 40-year-old officer.

The poem was discovered by police in 1988.

Griffiths said pursuing Mr Jacobs so many years later was a "bleak and dismal story".

In my mind, the investigation in 1985-86 had more in common with the witch hunt of the 17th Century than an orthodox attempt to solve a murder," he told the jury.

"If the evidence really suggested this man, Nicky Jacobs, has a case to answer, I have to repeat the question - why has it taken so long to bring it?"